Ear-muffler



(N6 Model.)

A. L. BBITTON.

EAR MUFFLER. No. 315,233. Patented Apr. '7, 1885.

WITNESSES; l VENTOR:

Jay 5W ATTORNEY,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW L. BRITTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

EAR-MUFFLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,233, dated-April 7,1885.

Application filed March 31', 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW L. BRITTON, a citizen of the United States,residing in the "city and county of Philadelphia, State of I ofamodification of thehead-piece of the muf- Similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention relates to improvements in an ear-muffler having ahead-piece and pad-frames at theend thereof; and it consists in makingthe head-piece adjustable by constructing it in two parts,each parthaving an eye on its end, through which the other part ispassed,wher'eby it may be adapted to the size of the head of the personto wear the same, the eyes at the ends of said parts being integral withthe metal of which the parts are formed, thus avoiding the employment ofseparate pieces of metal to form such eyes,and consequent soldering.

It also consists in forming the pad-frames with eyes integral with thesame, thus rendering the frames stronger, better, and cheaper, andavoiding the employment of separate pieces of metal ,and consequentsoldering.

It also consists in adapting themuffler to be folded by forming the headpiece of parts pivoted or hinged together.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the head part or piece of anear-muffler,and B represents the pad-frames thereof. The headpiece A,preferably of wire, is made adj ustable in length, so that it mayconform to the size of the head of the person who wears the muffler, benicely fitted thereto, and remain securely in position. Thisisaccomplished by making the head-piece in sections and forming on the endof each section an eye, A through which the other section is passed,thus permitting the extension or reduction of the piece, the sleeveshown as encircling the contiguous lengths of the piece A serving toclamp said lengths; but it is not deemed hooks for holding conceal thecontiguous parts or sections of the head-piece, including the eyes atthe ends thereof, or made short and carrying a tightening-screw; but, asstated above, it is not an an essential feature, as it maybe employedtoessential feature, as the eyes at the ends of the parts of the .headfurnish the necessary friction to hold said parts in adjusted position;and also prevent extreme separation of said parts. The headis alsojointed or hinged, as at A,whereby the pad-frame, may be folded on saidhead and the entire device brought together in compact form,convenientfor carrying or placing in the pocket or a bag. The padframes B areformed of wire bent into oval or other hoop shape, each having in itsperiphery eyes a a b, the eyes a a interlocking the ends I of the wire,and the eye 12 being directly. opposite. The piece A is passed freelythrough one of the eyes, a, and has its end formed with an eye, 0, whichis freely connected with the eye b, whereby the frame is jointed to thepiece A, and is permitted to vibrate freelythereon and conform to theshape of the head about the ear.

It will be seen that while the eyes a or a connect the end of the frameB one of said eyes receives the piece A, thus forming the bearings ofone portion of the frame. It will also be seen that the eyes a a b areintegral with the frame, whereby they are not liable to be broken off orpresent sharp cutting-edges, and are also durable, easily constructed,and produced at small expense. The portions of the piece A within theframes B are jbowed outwardly for properly distending the pads, and theends of the piece are provided with the mufiier in a folded condition. p

I am aware that it is not new to form an earmuifler ofa head-piece whichis passed around the head andformed of a single length of wire,

and pads for covering the ears, the frames whereof have sheet-metal eyessoldered in position, and therefore do not claim the same; but,

Having fully described myinvention, what I do claim isa 1. Pad-frameshaving eyes on opposite sides, in combination with the head-piece formedof sections hinged together, each end of one of the sections beingpassed freely through" one 3. The head part A, consisting of two wires,each having eyes A and a integral therewith, in combination withpad-frames B,having eyes b and a, substantially as and for the purpose15' set forth.

A. L. BRITTON.

Witnesses:

J OHN A. WIEDERsHEIM, A. P. GRANT.

